Perfect Posture?

Good morning one and all, what a lovely warm weekend we've had.  I've been back working in shorts and going on walks in just a t shirt, long may it continue.  In fact I hope it does as have some major painting work to do at home in preparation for (drum roll please).....the long anticipated new stair carpet leading to my treatment room at home.  And, the garage is finally being cleared so I'll be able to make that look at bit more welcoming too!

Now, as a kid were your parents or grandparents always berating you to sit up straight and not to slouch.  I know mine did and I'm aware at times my posture is still not the best when I catch myself in the mirror so I've put together 9 simple ways we can all work on getting that "perfect posture position".

PERFECT POSTURE POSITION

Stand up straight! How many times have we heard this? Yet we still go on typing messages with our neck folded forward. It's time to give up on this bad habit, and we have plenty good reasons to do so.
Physiotherapist Murat Dalkilinc claims that bad posture has serious negative affects on the body. While standing or seated, body posture is a sign of our body's adaptation to stress.

Bad posture could be the main reason behind all soreness and pain. This is caused by the pressure you put on your vertebra. This pressure affects your mood and mental health significantly. According to 2014 Issue of Health Psychology, bad posture can make you sad, angry, irritated, fearful or even sleepy. A small change in your posture could make you feel more energetic and less tired. Definitely worth trying!

If you're standing, your vertebra needs to be supported. Imagine an invisible cross in your body that aligns your shoulders, hips, knees and feet. Hold your head straight and make sure your chin is parallel to the ground.  Move around your arms and shoulders naturally while you're on the go.

If you're seated your neck should be straight. Try not to bend it forward. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your arms close to your body. Adjust your knees to reach the right angle and your feet should touch to the ground.

9 things to try to improve your posture

1. Adjust your computer screen to be at eye level
2. Make sure every part of your body is supported, using ergonomic aids to support elbows & ankles
3. Sleeping on your side is god for your posture, supporting the body with a pillow under the neck and between the legs.
4. Wear flat shoes that have a bit of bounce in them when you walk such as cushion soled trainers
5. Use headphones when using your mobile
6. Move about as much as you can during the day, trying to not stay in one position for extended periods.
7. Carry your stuff around that you need daily in a rucksack that is hung off your back with straps over both shoulders
8. Similar to no.6, don't sit around all day, MOVE.  Even short 5 minute walks several times a day can be beneficial
9. Perform some sort of exercise everyday.

That's it for another week
Michael B

Grab some beauty sleep

Morning folks, not long now til we have to turn the clocks back an hour whereby the only benefit to me is, for one night only, we get an extra hour in bed.  Apart from that, how many hours a night do you actually get and do you notice the difference if this amount is increased or decreased for whatever reason?
It's a known fact that sleep can have a major impact on everything from your weight and mood to your ability to function like a normal human being. Now, a new study  suggests that lack of sleep can, in fact, have an effect on your appearance—beyond the obvious dark Alice Cooper-esque black circles.
For the study, researchers from The Karolinska Institute recruited 25 students (male and female) to participate in a sleep experiment. Each person was given a kit to check how much they slept through the night and was instructed to monitor two good nights of sleep (sleeping 7-9 hours) and two bad nights of sleep (sleeping no longer than 4 hours max).
After each recorded night, researchers took pictures of the students and showed them to another group of people who were asked to analyse the photos and rate each student based on attractiveness, health, sleepiness, and trustworthiness. As expected, people who were sleep-deprived ranked lower on all counts. The group also said they'd be less likely to socialise with the students who got less sleep.
"Findings show that acute sleep deprivation and looking tired are related to decreased attractiveness and health, as perceived by others," the study authors conclude. And the fact that one might want to avoid contact with a "sleep-deprived, or sleepy-looking individuals" is a strategy that makes sense, evolutionary speaking, the researchers explain, since "an unhealthy-looking face, whether due to sleep deprivation or otherwise" signals a health risk.
As Gayle Brewer, Ph.D., a psychology expert not associated with the study explained to the BBC, "Judgement of attractiveness is often unconscious, but we all do it, and we are able to pick up on even small cues like whether someone looks tired or unhealthy."
Of course, "most people can cope just fine if they miss out on a bit of sleep now and again," lead researcher Tina Sundelin, Ph.D., told BBC. "I don't want to worry people or make them lose sleep over these findings."
The study sample size was small and there's still a lot more research to be done when it comes to determining how important those 7-8 hours of sleep really are, but we can always get behind another reason to catch up on some much-needed zzz's. So for now, try your best to avoid those lost hours of mind-numbing Instagram scrolling before bed—and get some damn beauty sleep.
Til next week, take care
MB